I often feel an urge for “cleanup” and “renewal” in the wake of year-end. It’s time for making status and sort out what old, enduring issues, things and relationships that are no longer rewarding and have to be left behind to make way for new seeds.

Of course, not everything old has lost its value – it might just need a bit of cleansing, repair or renewal.

I’ve always had a great deal of pleasure in patching and repairing things. As an example see how a favorite shirt – or jeans can be revitalized and last yet another season.

I love creating new – but to the same extent, I feel the satisfaction to revitalize things that are worn out but still have quality and sparkle joy. Patina adds character. Darning and mending is a question of skills and point of view. Buying new is easy. Everybody with enough money can buy new things, no offence, while mending is a skill you have to highlight and nourish. A surplus gesture in future.

Recently I was in London to see my family before Christmas and even found time to get around Loop, one of my absolute favorite stores in Islington. A super inspiring needlework universe, with yarns, knitting examples and loads of patterns and recipes. Couldn’t resist but gave myself two books on the art of darning and patching. Hannah Lamb: Poetic Cloth and Hikaru Noguchi: Darning – repair, make, mend. Finally I subscribed myself on a list of upcoming courses – for further inspiration – as I realized it’s more than three years since I attended a Slow-stiching class with Claire Wellesley-Smith. It gave me so much joy and inspiration I still feast on, so I think it’s about time to look out for some new “slow” inspiration.